1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to training devices for hitting a moving ball, e.g., baseballs, softballs, tennis balls. More specifically, the present invention relates to a portable, powered, moving hitting tee, which helps to train a novice hitter, especially, to keep his or her eye "on the ball." The invention has particular use in training youngsters to hit the ball with a bat or other hitting device while the ball moves toward them, slowly, so that hand-eye coordination may be developed. Of course, the invention has utility during any regular hitting practice as well.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is replete with examples of hitting tees, but none which move in the manner of the instant invention and are powered to move in a preplanned manner. Rather, the prior art only discloses batting tees wherein the position of the ball to be struck by a bat may be adjustable to a number of positions. With one somewhat relevant exception, there are no teachings in the art of a batting tee wherein the ball while supported by the tee is actually moved by the batting tee into a strike zone just before it is struck, this being the essence of the present invention.
The exception just noted appears in U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,080, issued Mar. 11, 1986 to Michael E. Miles. This patent teaches a batting tee assembly including a blower creating an air stream for suspension of a baseball. The baseball may be oscillated vertically and/or moved in a circular fashion by the tee, which also includes angled outlets below the top of the tee, for rotating the tee and thus the ball as it remains air-suspended. Thus, the machine provides simulation of the rising, falling and curving motions of a baseball as it approaches the batter. This patent does not teach, however, tee-supported movement of the baseball into the strike zone, the ball remaining in contact with and supported by the tee as it moves toward the batter. Furthermore, a blower assembly, with its attendant noise distraction and power requirement characteristics, is not needed in the present invention.
Batting tees for supporting a ball in a stationary position are well known. A publication entitled "How to Make a Batting Tee" teaches one to secure a length of radiator hose over a section of water pipe, and insert the pipe into a plywood base shaped as a home plate. The device may be sand-weighted for stability and the home plate my be drilled at numerous location for insertion of the pipe segment, at various places on the home plate, to simulate a number of ball locations, all in the strike zone. The baseball is positioned on top of the radiator hose segment. Again, the basic batting tee including a vertical post, an upper, flexible ball support, and a weighted base which may be configured as a home plate is well known. A toy-like version of a batting tee called "TeeBall" complete with metal tee, and plastic ball and bat, has been marketed in the past.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,823 issued Feb. 14, 1995, to Ronald G. Prieto is representative of a number of prior art teachings of batting tees, wherein adjustable positioning of a stationary baseball for batting practice is provided. A similar, variable positioning batting tee for supporting a baseball in a stationary attitude for batting practice is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,489,411 issued Jan. 13, 1970, to Dominick J. Morelli, et al. While the batting tees taught by these two patents have mechanisms for x, y and z axis adjustments of a seat for the baseball to be struck, there is no teaching of actually moving the baseball while on the tee, toward the batter, just prior to striking the ball.
Additional variations on the theme of a batting tee for adjustable but static position of a baseball are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,989,866, issued Feb. 5, 1991 to David N. Dill; 5,004,234 issued Apr. 2, 1991, to Ray A. Hollis; 5,076,580 issued Dec. 31, 1991, to Johnny D. Lang; 5,662,536 issued Sep. 2, 1997 to Rodolfo Martinez; and 5,393,050 issued Feb. 28, 1995, to Anthony L. Lloyd (see FIG. 7). A batting tee with guide arms to direct the bat toward the supported ball is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,070 issued Dec. 26, 1995, to Howard J. Morrison, and a ball tethered to the batting tee is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,987 issued Feb. 7, 1995, to John P. Rodino, Jr. A particular flexible support for the upper portion of a batting tee, for retaining parts together without damage to the device should it be struck during a practice swing, is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,708, issued Feb. 19, 1991, to William Prosser, et al.
The prior art does not teach the present invention, which is, simply stated, an uncomplicated, powered, moveable hitting tee which approaches the player at a predetermined but rather deliberate, speed. In the moveable hitting tee of the present invention, the ball remaining on the tee as the tee enters a preplanned strike or hitting zone, where the player then takes a swing at the tee-supported ball, with his or her bat or hitting device.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
In view of the above, there exists a need for moveable hitting tee which overcomes the above mentioned problems in the prior art. This invention addresses this need in the prior art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.